I spent my early days in the Radio/TV business, and have always resisted promoting any commercial entity without being paid for it. I even remove the car dealer’s stickers when I buy a new car! If they want to pay me to promote them, they are welcome to, otherwise their material comes off my property.

So, it isn’t lightly that I add today’s post promoting shopping at Sears. However, this company is exhibiting a level of patriotism I find lacking in most of our country today, and feel that Sears deserves a pat on the back.

I think you will be impressed with what Sears is doing for their employees who are called to active duty.  This isn’t internet gossip, I confirmed it at Snopes.com (http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/sears.asp).

Sears treats its employees who are called up for military duty in a most honorable way. By law, they are required to hold the jobs open and available for the servicemen and women,but nothing more. Usually, those employees have to take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called to active duty.

Sears, however, is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries between military pay and what the employee would have been earning back home, and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years.

This makes Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen in my book, and they should be recognized for this policy. I suggest we all shop Sears for at least one item this Christmas season, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

The note below is from family friends of 30 years, and their son Kevin is currently on active duty with the US Army.

“We can also verify this (Sear’s policy) as Kevin was a part-time employee for Sears when his Reserve Unit was activated and then deployed to Iraq.  Sears continues to include him in the employee promotional programs and just the other day he received an employee award (mailed home) even though he is deployed.  He is expected home this month and Sears has taken the initiative to offer him his old job or a full-time job.

Nice to see that some firms stand behind their words!
Mike”

I needed this reminder since Sears isn’t always my first choice, although I have been a customer for decades.  They need to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them, as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military! I will make a special effort to purchase at least one of my Christmas gifts from them this year. I hope you will too.